Nigeria: voters decry access to ID cards barely a week to polls

Many Nigerians have been unable to obtain their voter ID cards with a week to go before the presidential and parliamentary elections.

Faced with this situation, the organization of a general election in Africa’s most populous nation could be beset with logistical problems.

‘‘I’ve been here four times before. They have now told me that we should come after the election and the next election will be in 2023. So how can they tell us to come and get them back in 2023? So, probably, they want to rig the election, they don’t want everyone to vote”, said voter Francis Ojah.

“I left home at 5:30 to come here, to hold on and so I’m here and I want to stay until I get it back. I’m not going to give up halfway, I’m staying until I get my voter card”, said another voter, Mercy Alao Anuoluwapo.

“There is no hope, I haven’t seen the list, I haven’t seen my name, I haven’t seen the electoral map so I’m still waiting”, said Seyi Law.

Messages posted to social media shared similar experiences in the rest of the country.

Friday February 8 was the deadline for voters to collect their cards, but the electoral commission extended the deadline to Monday February 11.

More than 84 million Nigerians are expected to cast their vote in a general election on February 16.